Biography

Image via socialdemokratiet.dk

​Mette Frederiksen was elected Prime Minister of Denmark in June, 2019. She is the second woman to hold this office, and the youngest Prime Minister in Danish history.

Prime Minister Frederiksen was born in Aalborg, Denmark. She attended the Aalborghus Gymnasium and studied administration and social science at Aalborg University, graduating in 2000.

Frederiksen became a member of the Social Democrats’ youth branch at 15, and was elected as a member of Folketing, the Danish Parliament, in 2001 at the age of 24. Following her election to the parliament, she was named as her party’s spokesperson for culture, media, and gender equality. The subsequent year she received the Nina Bang award for showing political courage, enthusiasm and impact with social feeling.

After the Social Democrats won the 2011 general election, she was appointed Minister of Employment by Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. In 2014, Frederiksen was promoted to become Minister of Justice. In 2015, following a narrow defeat of her party in the general election, she was elected as the Leader of the Opposition, a role she held until becoming Prime Minister.

​In December 2021, she became the longest-serving incumbent female head of government in the European Union.

​Prime Minister Frederiksen is the co-author of the books Epostler (2003) and From Fight to Culture (2004).